Rein-guard.



' PATENIED APR. 9, 1907.

W. P.- PELL.

REIN GUARD.

APPLICATION PILED mua. 14. 190e.

W/TNESSS:

NITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

REIN-GUARD.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented April 9, 1907.

Application filed Iebruary 14, 1906. Serial No. 301,000.

T0 all wwm it may concern:

Be it known that I, WILLIAM P. FELL, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Huron, in the county of Beadle and State of South Dakota, have invented a new and Improved Rein-Guard, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

My invention relates to an improvement in reinguards designed to prevent the reins from becoming caught or entangled with the wagon-polo.

The object of my invention is to provide a device of this character at a very small cost which will be simple and durable and which may be quickly and easily applied to various sizes and types of wagons.

A further object of my invention is to provide a device of this character which Will have a limited horizontal movement with the neckyoke as the latter oscillates, but which Wlll be secured against becoming detached when in use and Will not work up and down on the wagon-pole, butwill be securely held in noiseless engagement therewith.

With the abovementioned objects in view I have shown in the accompanying drawings the construction of a device embodying the principles of my invention, in ,which similar characters of reference indicate corresponding parts in both figures.

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a wagonpole with its neck-yoke and having my invention applied thereto; and Fig. 2 is a plan view of a slight modification thereof, shoW- ing in dotted lines a position which the guard may assume.

Referring 110W to the drawings in detail, 1 represents an ordinary wagon-polo, of wood or metal, and 2 a neck-yoke of appropriate length and diameter. The polo is preferably provided with a bracket 3 to limit the longitudinal movement of a ring 4, which fits loosely over the polo and which is secured to the neck-yoke by suitable'hooks or staples 5.

The construction so far specified is merely illustrative of a common form of wagonpole and neck-yoke and forms no part of my invention. In actual usage of the construction so far specified great inconvenience and often danger is encountered by the crossreins becoming entangld with the end of the polo, as Wlll be readily understood. N OW, therefore, I have devised a novel reinguard mechanism adapted for use with this common type of pole and neckyoke, which comprises a bow-shaped piece of stiff metal wire or rod 6, the extremities of Which are secured near the ends of the neck-yoke by suitable hooks or staples 7 as shown in Fig. 1, or merely by the ends of this wire being bent to form loops which snugly fit the extremities of the neck-voire, as shown at 8 in Fig. 2, the purpose being to secure the ends of this wire 6 to the neck-yoke near each end thereof in a simple and reliable manner. The central portion of this bow-shaped member 6 is loosely mounted upon the pole 1 in such a manner that it may have a limited horizontal rocking movement when the neck-yoke is similarly moved, as shown by dotted fines in Fig. 2, but also in such a manner as to prevent any vertical movcment with relation to the end of the pole. A convenient means for accomplishing this result may be by employing a socketed cap piece preferably formed of resilient metallic wire, the springsocket being of such a diameter that it may be easily sprung over the end of the polo, as

shown at 9. This springsocket is provided with an eye or loop 10 on its outer end, in which loosely works the central part of the bow-shaped wire 6, as clearly shown in both figures.

Obviously other forms of wellknown s ring-caps may be substituted for the one i lustrated without departing from the spirit of my invention, the essential' requirements being a convenient means to position the member 6 which may be easily and securely retained on the pole end and quickly detached therefrom, if desired. It Wlll be seen that by the coaction of the resilient cap-piece 9 with the resilient bow-shaped member 6 the reins Will be guarded and the free longitudinal play of the neck-yoke be permitted.

I am aware that it has been proposed to provide a curved guard-rod attached at its rear ends to a neck-yoke and to be nositioned centrally by being secured to a wagon-pole in order to prevent reins from being entangled by said pole, and I do not claim such an arrangement broadly.

Having thus described my invention, I daim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent- 1. The oombination with a vebicle-pole and a neckyoke held to slide and rock thereon, of a resihent bow-piece having its ends mounted upon the neckyoke near the respective ends of said neck-yoke, and a resili ent connection between the bow-piece and the end of the polo.

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2. The combinacion wth a vehicle-p0le, 21 neck-yoke, and 1neans for holding the neckyoke rockably and slidzxbly mounted upon the p0le near its outer end, of a resflient cappiece mounted upon said end of the pole, and a, resflient bowpiece or reinguard loosely mounted near its center upon the cappiece, the ends of the bow-piece having engagement with respective end portions of the neck-yoke.

3. The combination with a vehele-pole, a neckyoke, an elongeted looped bmeket on the pole near its enter end, a ring loosely mounted on the p0e wz'1thin the bracket, and means for 1oosely securing the ring on the neck-yoke at its center, of a resflient cappiece for1ned of coiled spring wire and mounted upon said enter end of the pole, said cap-piece having an eye f0nned on its enter end, and a resilient b0w-piece Of 1nebzxl 1 r0d forming a renguard, said bowpieceJ loosely engaging the eye near the center 01 said bowpiece, and rings on the ends of the bowpiece and mounted on 1110 1*mp -11vv ends of the neck-yoke.

4. A rein-gumd, con1prising a b1m sl1zq od 1*0d having loops 01 eyes at its onde 11 1'11- ceive the ends 01'' EL neck-yeke, and 21 c:1p adapted to fit on the end of a wagon-pole :111d provided Wih en eye 01 100p th1ough \1h1 *11 the 10d passes.

5. A ren-guard, comprising a resie11 bowshaped 10d hzwing loo ps 01 e ves 11L: '111 end to receive the ends 01 a neck-yoke, and 21 cap adapted to fit upon the end of 21 wagon pole and provided with an eye 1fihIoUgh which the rod passes, "che said cep being f 1111ed ui' resflient wi1e.

In tesnwny whereof I have signod 111 nan1e to this specificawbion in the prese11ov (11' tw0 subserfloing wiunesses.

1 HOMAS. 

